Charles van Heck's Woodhull Journal

August 2025

  • Violence and the Social Contract

    There are times when a mystery novel appeals as a source of entertainment. The appeal of a mystery novel is the neatness. Facts are laid out like bread crumbs. We follow the trail, piecing together the evidence from the scene… Continue reading

  • Katrina: Memory of “We”

    Friday, 29 August, marks a dark anniversary. Ghost-like memories rise of the people and places of New Orleans, Houston, Beaumont, San Antonio, and places in between. There is no “I” in these recollections. There is only “We.” There are odors… Continue reading

  • The “Beloved Community”

    Donald Trump made two statements on Tuesday, August 19th that should give us pause. The first is a social media post. “The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was,… Continue reading

  • The Old Time Jim Crow Religion Revival Meeting

    The decision was made. There was a lesson to be learned. The suitcases were packed, and placed in the car. In the early hours of a July morning, my father backed the car out of the garage. We were going… Continue reading

  • Sometimes You Just Have to Breathe

    Fred and Louise Haisch invited us over to dinner. Terri and I decided to walk. The late afternoon sun wove through the overhanging tree branches, weaving an intricate quilt pattern of shadows and light across the dirt road. There was… Continue reading

  • The Environment of Dante’s Inferno

    The name David Suzuki is unknown to most people residing in the States. Canadians know him as the host and narrator of the CBC science program The Nature of Things from 1979 until his retirement in 2002. Suzuki taught genetics… Continue reading

  • Reconstructing the Past and Present

    History provides us with an understanding of our place in time. The words of authors glide into topics that pull us into paragraphs of digression. These allow us to consider the character and nature of those women, men, and events… Continue reading

  • In Response to Comments

    A few comments that I received in response to “The Moral Crisis Pricking the Conscience” have led me to put aside the post intended for today. Instead, I will respond to those who have written. Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres addressed… Continue reading

  • Croissants, Bagels and Harvard’s Space Anomaly

    There is no time of day more underrated than the morning. A cup of coffee with a slice of toast. Personally, I would prefer either a fresh croissant or a fresh bagel. Finding a quality bagel or croissant is difficult.… Continue reading